FI FTH DI VI SI ON

PHI PPS, P. J.

, DI LLA RD and PETERSON, JJ.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be

ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n

da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.

http://w w w .ga a ppe a l s .us /r ule s

June 29, 2016



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A1 6 A0 11 0 . J O HNSON v . THE STATE.

P H I P P S , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

J o e J o h n s o n ap p eal s h i s co n vi ct i o n s fo r fel o n y fl eei n g o r at tem pt i n g t o el u d e

a p ol i ce o ffi cer 1 an d l eav i n g t h e s c e n e o f a n acci d en t, 2 ari s i n g fro m an o ffen s e t h at

t o o k p l ace o n Oct o b er 2 2

, 2 01 1

. 3 He co n t en d s t h at t h e ev i d en ce was i n s u ffi ci en t

, t h at

t h e t ri al co urt p l ai n l y erred i n i n s t ru ct i n g t h e ju ry o n fel o n y fl eei ng or at tem p t i n g to

el u d e a p o l i ce o ffi cer, an d t h at h i s t ri al co u ns el was i n effect i v e i n fai l in g t o o b ject to

1 O C G A § 4 0 -6 -3 9 5 (b ) (5 ) (A). As w e di s cu ss i n Di vi s i o n 1 (a), i n f r a

, w e

rev i ew Jo h ns on ’ s cas e u n d er t h e p ri o r vers io n o f t h e s t at u te i n effect at t h e t im e o f t h e

o ffen s e. See Ga. L. 2 0 1 0, p

. 2 5 6 , § 2

, effect i v e J u l y 1 , 2 0 1 0

.

2 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -2 7 0 (a).

3 J o h n s o n d o es n o t ch al l en g e h i s co n v i ct i o n fo r reck l es s d ri v i n g u n d er OCGA

§ 4 0-6 -3 9 0

.t h e ju ry ch arg e

. We f i n d t h e ev i d en ce s u ffi ci en t t o s u p p ort t h e g u i l t y v erd i ct as to

fl eei n g o r at t em

pt i n g t o el u de a p o l ice o ffi cer an d leav i ng t h e s cen e o f an acci d en t ;

h o wev er, b ecau s e t h ere was i n s u ffi ci en t e v i d en ce s h owi n g t h at J o h n s o n was

at t e m p t i n g t o es cap e arres t fo r a n o n -t raffi c o ffen s e, we v acat e J o h n s o n ’ s fel o ny

fl eei n g o r at t em

p ti n g t o el u de s e n t e n ce an d rem an d t h e cas e wi t h d i rect i o n t h at a

co n vi ct i o n an d s en t e n ce b e en t ered fo r a m i s d em ean o r o ffen s e o f fl eei n g o r

at t em p t i n g t o el u d e a p o l i ce o ffi cer.

1

. J o h n s o n co m

p l ai n s t h at t h e ev i d en ce was i n s u ffi ci en t t o au t h o ri ze hi s

co n vi ct i o n s fo r fel on y fl eei n g an d l eav i n g t h e s cen e o f an acci den t b e c a u s e n ei t h er

t h e a c ci d en t v i ct i m n o r th e o ffi cer i d en t i fi ed i n th e i n d i ct m en t was ab l e t o i d en t i f y

h i m a n d t h ere was n o ev i d en ce t h at J o h n s o n fl ed p o l i ce t o es cap e arres t fo r an y

o ffen s e.

“ W h en a d efen d an t ch al len g es t h e s u ffi ci en cy o f t he ev i d en ce s u p p o rt i n g h i s

cri m i n al co n v i ct i o n

, th e rel ev an t q ues t i o n is wh et h er, aft er vi ewi n g t h e ev i d en ce i n

t h e l i g h t m o s t fav o rab l e t o t h e p ro s ecu t io n

, an y rat i o n al t ri er of fact co u ld h av e fo u n d

t h e es s en t i al el em en t s o f t h e cri m e b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u bt .” 4 “ T o warran t a

4 Od l e v. S ta te

, 3 3 1 Ga. Ap p. 1 4 6

, 14 7 (1 ) (7 70 SE2 d 2 56 ) (2 0 1 5 ) (fo o t n o t e

o m it t ed ). See al s o Ja cks o n v. Vi r g i n i a

, 44 3 U.S. 30 7

, 3 19 (9 9 SCt 2 7 81

, 6 1 LE2 d

5 6 0 ) (1 9 7 9 ).

2co n vi ct i o n o n ci rcu m s tan t i al ev i d en ce, th e p ro v ed fact s s h al l n ot o n l y b e co n s i s t en t

wi t h th e h y

po t h es i s o f gu i l t

, b u t s h al l ex cl u d e ev ery o t h er reas o n ab l e h y p ot h es i s s av e

t h at o f t h e g u i l t o f t h e accu s ed .” 5 Ev i d en ce o f a d efen d an t ’ s co n d u ct b efo re an d aft er

t h e cri m e m ay g i v e ri s e t o an i n feren ce t h at h e p art i ci p at ed i n t h e cri m e. 6 W h et h er a

d efen d an t i s g u i l t y b as ed so l el y o n c i rcu m s t an t i al ev id en ce i s a q u es t i o n fo r t h e

fact fi n d er. 7

So v i e w e d

, t h e ev i d en ce s h owed t h at t wo un i fo rm ed DeKal b Co u n t y p o l i ce

o ffi cers (Dep u t y Rh o n e an d Det ect i v e W at t s ) were p at ro l l i n g an area o f Fl at Sh o al s

Ro ad i n D e K al b Co u n t y i n a m ark ed po l i ce v eh i cl e at aro u n d 7 :0 0 p .m

. o n

Oct o b er 21

, 2 0 11

. Th e offi cers ap p ro a c h e d a F o od Mart co n ven i en ce st ore, i n a

p ark i n g l o t th at g e n e r a t e d reg u l ar co m p l ai n t s t o t he po l i ce o f l o i t eri n g an d d ru g

act i vi t y

. Th e o ffi cers n ot i ced a g o ld o r ch am p ag n e Ch ev ro l et Cav al i er b ack ed i n t o a

p ark i n g s p ace i n fro n t o f an ab an d o n ed b u i l di n g in t h e p ark in g l o t

. A m an s at i n t h e

d ri v er’ s s eat wi th t he wi n do w ro l l ed d o wn

, an d sev eral o th er m en s t o o d n earb y wi th

o p en co n t ai n ers o f al co h o l

.

5 OCGA § 2 4 -1 4-6

.

6 McNeel y v. S ta t e , 2 9 6 G a. 4 2 2 , 4 2 4 (1 ) (7 6 8 SE2 d 7 5 1) (2 01 5 ).

7 Ba t es v. S t a te , 2 9 3 Ga. 8 5 5 , 8 5 6 (1 ) (7 50 SE2 d 3 2 3 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

3W h en t h e o ffi cers p u l l ed i n , t h e d ri v er o f t h e Cav al i er s t art ed t o s lo w l y d ri v e

away

. Dep ut y Rh on e g ot ou t o f t h e p at ro l car an d ap p ro ach ed t h e v eh i cl e, g es t u ri n g

fo r t h e d ri v er t o s to p t h e car. Rh o n e t es t i fi ed t h at h e rep eat ed ly in s t ru ct ed t he d ri v er

t o s t o p t h e ca r

. I n s t ead

, th e d ri v er, wh o m Rh o ne reco g n i zed as J oh n so n

, l o o k ed

d i rect l y at Rh o n e t h ro u g h t he o p en wi n do w a s h e d r o v e s l o w ly b y h i m

. Rh o n e

t es t i fi ed t h at i t was n o t y et d ark , h e g o t a g o o d l oo k at t h e d ri v er an d h e was “ s u re”

i t was J o h n s o n

, h av i n g s een h i m aro u n d t h e n ei g h b o rh o o d an d at t h e F o o d M art

d u ri n g th e p rev i o u s m o n t h

. Det ect i v e W at ts t es t ifi ed t h at Rh o n e was “ p ret t y cl o s e”

t o th e d ri v er an d t h e o p en ca r wi n d o w

. Aft er i g n o ri n g Rh o n e’ s o rd ers t o s t o p,

J o h n so n “ p u n ch ed i t” an d “ zo o m ed o u t ” o f th e p ark i n g l o t an d on t o Fl at Sh o al s Ro ad

,

i n ex ces s o f t h e s p eed l i m i t

.

As J o h n so n was l eav in g t h e Fo o d M art p ark in g lo t

, Offi cer Ti l lery

, u n i fo rm ed

an d ri d i n g i n a s ep arat e m ark ed p at ro l car wi t h an ot h er o ffi cer, p u l l ed i n t o t h e l o t

. At

t h e req u es t o f Rh o n e an d W at t s

, Ti l l ery t urn ed aro u n d an d fo l l o wed t h e Cav al i er,

wh i ch h e d es cri b ed as d ark b ei g e i n co l or, ou t of t h e p ark i n g l o t

. Ti l l ery act iv at ed h i s

p at ro l car’ s l i g ht s an d s i ren i n an at t em p t t o g et t h e Cav al i er t o s to p

. Ti l l ery o b s erv ed

t h e car d ri v i n g errat i cal l y an d at a h i g h rat e of s p eed

, “ so wi l d l y t h at i t wen t t h ro u g h

4t h e y ard s i n b et ween two res i d en ces .” At t h at p o i n t

, T i l l ery an d hi s p art n er l o s t s i g ht

o f t h e Cav al i er.

M ean wh i l e, a wo m an was d ri v i n g at t h e s p eed l i m i t o n th e s am e s ect i o n o f Fl at

Sh o al s Ro ad wh en s h e s aw a g o l d o r ch am pag n e-co l ored Ch ev ro l et Cav al i er zo o m i n g

p as t h er s o fas t t h at i t s eem ed h er car was s t an d i n g s t i l l

. Th e Cav al ier ci rcl ed t h ro u g h

a su b d i v i s i o n, ran a s t o p s i g n

, an d t h en s t ru ck t h e wo m an ’ s v eh i cl e fro m t h e rear. Th e

Cav al i er d i d n o t s l o w d o wn o r s t o p an d

, s t i l l s p eed i n g

, cro ss ed t h e cen t er l i n e i n to

o n co m i n g t raffi c.

As Offi cer Ti l lery p u l l ed o u t of t h e s u b d i vi s i o n wh ere h e h ad l o s t s i g h t o f t h e

Cav al i er, h e saw t h e v ict im of t h e co l l i s i o n i n h er d am ag ed veh i cl e. Acco rd in g t o t h e

wo m an

, Ti l l ery p u l led up “ ri g h t aft er” t h e acci den t h ap p en ed

, b efo re s h e h ad a ch an ce

t o cal l fo r p o l i ce as s i s t an ce. Ti l l ery o b s erv ed t h e d am ag e t o h er rear bu m per, an d h i s

p art n er t o o k h er s t at em en t

. Th en

, wi t h i n 2 0 or 3 0 m i n u t es of Ti l l ery ’ s i n i t i al co n t act

w i t h t h e Cav al i er, h e recei v ed a cal l ab o u t an ab an d o ned car ap pro x i m at e l y a m i l e

fro m th e Fo o d M art

. H e res p o n d ed t o th e cal l an d reco g n i zed th e ab an d on ed v eh i cl e

as t h e Cav al i er h e h ad b een ch as i n g.

5Th e C a v a l i e r wa s i n a d rai n ag e d it ch an d h ad n o d am ag e t o t h e i g ni t i o n o r

s t eeri n g co l um

n

, i n d i c a t i n g t o t h e o ffi cers t h at a k ey h ad b een us ed t o d ri v e t h e

v eh icl e. Th e o ffi cers fo u n d t r affi c ci t at i o n s in t h e Cav al i er co n t ai n i n g J o h n s o n ’ s

n am e, d at e o f b i rt h

, an d d ri v er’ s l i cen s e n u m b er, an d t h e t ag w a s reg i st ered to

J o h n so n

. Th e fo ll o w i n g m o rn i n g

, aft er J o h n s on rep o rt ed h i s car s t o l en

, o ffi cers

arres t ed hi m

at t he t ag ’ s reg i s t rat i o n ad d res s , o ne b l o ck away fro m t h e Fo o d M art

.

An al i b i wi t n es s t es ti fi ed t h at J o h n s o n h ad b een wi t h her an d h er fi an cé at h er

ap art m en t fro m ap p ro x i m at el y 4 : 00 p .m

. u n t i l 9 : 0 0 p .m

. o n th e ev en i n g i n q u es t i o n,

s m o k i n g crack co cai n e

, dri n k in g vo d k a an d b eer, an d p lay i n g card s

. Th e wi t n es s

ad d ed th at t wo d ru g d eal ers

, nam ed Keo n an d “ Bi g Ro b ,” cam e i n an d o u t d u ri n g t h e

e v e n i n g an d t h at J o h n s o n d i s co v ered h i s car h ad b een s t o l en wh en h e g o t r e a d y t o

l eav e.

(a) W e ag ree wi t h J o h n s o n ’s a r g u m en t th at t h e ev i d en ce was i n su ffi ci en t to

co n vi ct h i m o f fel o n y

, rat h er t h an m i s d em ean o r, fl eei n g o r at t em p t i ng to el u d e. Th e

i n d i ct m en t ch arg ed J oh n s o n w i t h t he fel o n y o ffen s e o f fl eei n g o r at t em p t i ng t o el u d e

a p o l i ce o ffi cer, i n t h at h e:

o n o r ab o ut t h e 2 2 n d d ay o f Oct ob er 2 0 1 1, b ei n g t h e dri v er o f a veh i cl e,

d i d wi l l fu l l y fai l t o bri n g h i s veh i cl e to a s t o p aft er h av i n g b een g iv en an

6au d i bl e s i g n al t o b ri n g h i s v eh i cl e t o a s t o p b y Offi cer J

. Ti l l e r y, an

o ffi cer wh o at t he t i m e o f g i v i ng s u ch s i g n a l was in a u n i fo rm

p ro m i n en t l y d i s p l ay i n g t h e o f fi cer’ s b ad g e o f p ol i ce an d t h e offi cer’ s

v eh i cl e was ap p ro p ri at el y m ark ed sh o wi n g i t t o b e an o ffi ci al p o l i c e

v eh i cl e, an d wh i le fl eei n g an d at t em p t i n g t o el u d e s ai d o ffi cer, d i d

co l l i d e wi t h an o th er v eh icl e.

Fel o ny fl eei n g o r at t em

p ti n g t o el ud e a p o l ice o ffi cer i s d efi n ed i n O CGA § 4 0

-

6 -3 9 5 (a) an d ( b ) (5 ) (A). Pu rs u an t t o OCGA § 40 -6 -3 95 (a), a d ri v er co m m i t s t h e

o f f e n s e o f f l eei n g o r at t em

p t i n g t o el u d e a p o l i ce o ffi cer w h en he wi l l fu l l y fai l s o r

refu ses t o b ri n g hi s veh i cl e t o a s t op o r o t h erwi s e at t em p t s t o el u d e a p u rs u in g p o l i ce

v eh i c l e w h e n gi v en a v i s u al o r au d i bl e s i g nal to bri n g t h e v eh i cl e t o a st o p

. 8 Un d er

t h e v ers i o n o f OCGA § 4 0-6 -3 9 5 (b ) (5 ) (A) i n effect at t h e t i m e o f J o h n s o n ’ s t ri al :

An y p e r s o n v io l at i n g t h e p ro v is i on s o f s u bs ect i o n (a) o f t hi s Co de

s ect i o n w h o

, wh i l e fl eei n g o r at tem p t in g t o el u d e a pu rs u i n g p o l i ce

v eh i cl e o r p o l i ce o ffi ce r i n a n a t t emp t t o es ca p e a r r es t f

or a n y o f f en s e

o t h er t h an a [t r a

f f i c o ff en s e] :

. . . (i i ) [s ] t ri k es o r co l l i d es wi t h an o t h er

v eh i cl e o r a p ed es t ri an . . . s h al l b e g u i l t y o f a fel o n y

. 9

8 OCGA § 4 0 -6 -3 9 5 was am en d ed effect i v e J u l y 1

, 2 01 2

. See Ga. L

. 2 0 1 2

, p.

7 2 9

, § 1

. W e rev i ew Jo h n so n ’ s cas e u n der t h e p ri or v ers i o n o f t h e s t at u t e in effect at

t h e t i m e o f t h e o ffen se. See Ga. L. 2 01 0 , p . 2 5 6, § 2 , effect i v e J u ly 1 , 2 0 1 0

.

9 Ga. L. 20 1 0

, p

. 2 5 6

, § 2 (em p has i s ad d e d )

. See al s o Hi cks v. S ta t e

, 3 2 1 Ga.

Ap p . 7 7 3 , 7 7 4 (1 ) (7 4 3 SE2 d 4 5 8 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

7Th e fact fi n der m ay co n s i d er t h e s u rro u n d i n g ci rcu m s t an ces t o d et erm in e wh et h er t h e

d efen d an t act ed wi t h t h e req u is i t e i n t en t

. 1 0

P r i o r to t h e co l li s i on

, Dep u t y Rh o ne cl earl y i d en t i fi ed Jo h n s o n at t h e Fo o d

M art

. He t es t i fi ed t h at Offi cer T i l l ery fo l l o wed J o h n so n ou t o f t h e park i n g lo t wh en

J o h n s o n r efu s ed t o s t o p

. T i l l ery act i v at ed h i s l i g ht s an d s iren b u t l o st s i g h t o f t h e

s p eed i n g Cav al i er m o m en t s b efo re a Ch ev y Cav al i er of th e s am e co l o r s t ru ck an o t h er

v eh icl e ju s t ah ead

. Al t h o u g h Ti l l ery was u n ab l e t o id en t i fy t h e d ri v er of t he Cav al i er

h e was fo l l o w i n g

, t h e ci rcu m s t an t ial ev i d en ce p res en t ed w as s uffi ci en t fo r a rat i o n al

ju ry t o fi n d b ey o n d a reas o n ab l e d o u b t t h e es s en ti al el em en t s o f fl eei n g o r at t em p t i n g

t o el u d e a p o l i ce o ffi cer an d to ex cl u d e ev ery o t h er reas o n ab l e h y

po t h es i s

. 1 1

Ho wev er, t h e i n di ct m en t d i d n o t al l eg e, an d no ev i d en ce w as pres en t ed at t ri al

,

t h at J oh n s o n was at t em

p ti ng t o el u d e arres t fo r a n o n-t raffi c v i o l at io n w h en he s t ru ck

1 0 Fa i r wel l

v. S t a t e , 3 1 1 Ga. Ap p

. 8 34 , 8 36 (1 ) (a) (7 1 7 SE2 d 3 3 2 ) (2 0 1 1 ).

1 1 See Mi n o r v. St at e

, 3 2 8 Ga. Ap p . 1 2 8

, 1 3 0 -1 3 1 (1 ) (7 6 1 SE2 d 5 3 8 ) (2 0 1 4 )

(“ [A] l t h o u g h n ei t her v i ct i m co u l d i d en t i fy [t he d efen d an t ] as a p erp et rat or o f t h e

cri m es

, ci rcu m s t an t ial ev i d en ce o f id en t i t y m ay b e s u ffi ci en t t o en ab l e a rat i on al t ri er

o f fact t o fi n d a d efen dan t g u i lt y b ey o n d a reas o n a b l e d o u b t .”). See al s o Pa yn e v.

S t a t e

, 2 0 6 Ga. A p p. 1 8 9

, 1 9 0 (1 ) (4 2 4 SE2 d 8 6 8) (1 9 9 2 ) (fi n di n g ev i d en ce su ffi ci en t

t o s u p p o rt co n v i ct i on fo r fl eei n g an d at t em p t i ng t o el u d e a p o li ce o ffi cer, d es p i t e

al l eg ed i n co n s i s ten ci es i n th e ev i d en ce as t o t h e i d en t i t y o f t h e defen d an t as th e d ri v er

o f a s t o l en car).

8t h e o t h er v eh i cl e. Un d er t h e v ers i o n o f OCGA § 40 -6 -3 9 5 i n effect at t h e t i m e o f t h e

o ffen s e, 1 2 in o rd er fo r hi s cri m e t o co ns t i t u t e a fel o n y

, J oh n so n m u s t h av e b een

at t em p t i n g t o es cap e arres t fo r an o ffen s e o t h er t h an a t raffi c offen s e. 1 3 Th u s

, we m u s t

v acat e Jo h ns o n ’ s fel o n y sen t en ce. Becau s e t h e ev i d en ce d o es s u pp o rt a m i s d em ean o r

co n vi ct i o n

, we rem an d t h e c as e wi t h d irect i o n t h at a co n vi ct i o n an d sen t en ce b e

en t ered fo r t h e m i s d e m e a n o r o ffen s e o f fl eei n g o r at t em p t i ng t o el u de a p o l i ce

o ffi cer. 1 4

( b ) Th e ev i d en ce was s uffi ci en t t o s u p p o rt Jo h ns o n ’ s co n v i ct i o n fo r l eav i n g

t h e s cen e o f an acci d en t wh i ch cau s ed d am ag e t o t he v i ct i m ’ s v eh i cl e, as h e d i d n ot

s t op at t h e s cen e an d p ro v i d e h i s n am e an d reg i s t r a t i o n i nfo rm at i o n

, as req u i red by

OCGA § 4 0 -6 -2 7 0 (a). 1 5

1 2 Ga. L. 2 0 10 , p . 2 5 6 , § 2

.

1 3 See Ad a ms v. S ta te

, 2 93 Ga. Ap p

. 3 7 7

, 3 80 -3 8 1 (2 ) (6 67 SE2 d 18 6 ) (2 0 0 8 )

(ev i d en ce s u ffi ci en t to s u p p o rt fel o n y co nv i ct i o n b as ed o n ag grav at ed as s au l t wh ere

t h e d efen d an t co n t i n u ed t o fl ee aft er d ri v i n g t o ward an d n earl y s tri k in g s h eri ff’ s

d ep ut y wi t h h i s v eh i cl e).

1 4 See Hi cks , s u pra at 7 7 5 (1 ).

1 5 See Fa i r wel l

, s u p ra at 83 7 (1 ) (c) (d am ag e t o at t en d ed v e h i c l e an d

ci rcu m s t an ces s u rro u nd i n g h o w t h e d am ag e o ccu rred were s uffi ci en t fo r a ju ry t o fi n d

t h e d efen d an t k n ew s h e h ad s t ru ck an d cau sed d am ag e t o t h e v eh i cl e).

92

. As a res u lt o f o u r d et erm i n at i o n i n Di v i s i o n 1 (a), s u p ra, w e n eed n o t ad d res s

J o h n so n ’ s arg u m en ts t hat t h e t ri al co u rt p l ai n l y erred i n i n s t ru ct i n g t h e j u ry o n fel o ny

fl eei n g o r at tem

p t i n g t o el u d e a p o l i ce o ffi cer an d th at t ri al co u n s el was i n effect i v e

fo r fai l i n g t o o bject t o t h e ju ry ch arg e as t o t h at co u nt

.

Ju d g men t a f f i r med in p a r t a n d va ca t ed i n pa r t, a n d ca s e r e m a n d ed wi th

d i r ect i o n. Di ll a r d

a n d Pet er

s o n , JJ., co n cu r

.

10